Finnula needs money for her sister's dowry, and fast. Hugo Fitzstephen, Earl of Stephensgate, returning home from England from the Crusades, has money, saddlebags of gold and jewels, and lots of it. What could be simpler than to kidnap him and hold him for ransom? Especially when he's more than willing to allow himself to be caught by such a winsome captor.

This is the romance novel that Princess Mia wrote for her senior year project. I don't think I'm giving away any secrets by telling you that at the end of the last novel, she gets it accepted for publication. Meg Cabot has quite the task set out for her: to write a romance novel in the voice of her own 17-year-old character. Fortunately she's up to the challenge. Ransom My Heart reads exactly like it came from a 17-year-old who's done her homework and has a good editor.

Here's the deal: if you're the sort of person who gets upset at historical inaccuracies and blanches at medieval characters telling each other to shut up, you should probably skip this. But if you're willing to overlook the pure silliness of the whole thing, the story is quite entertaining and should amuse. Forsooth!

Rating: seven bliauts out of ten (would someone please explain what the heck a bliaut is??)